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Topic: smart wheelchair (Read 1892 times)

Nowhere do robots promise to enhance the quality of life of humans as much as in the area of rehabilitation. Robotic technology has the potential to assist physically handicapped and elderly people, especially in the mobility for their day-to-day life. For a traditional wheelchair, an individual must navigate through close quarters in his/her home, which, like many homes, was not designed with handicapped people in mind, by carefully and slowly manipulating the wheelchair through a somewhat rudimentary joystick interface. Controlling his/her movements in this fashion may not only be frustrating and time-consuming, but may even be impossible for individuals who have only limited control of their arm, such as elderly persons who experience periodic tremors in their hands, or stroke victims who have been left with only partial dexterity and movement in their arm. On top of that, very similar maneuvering tasks are typically part of the individual's daily routine, as, for example, a trip from the bedroom to the bathroom which are notoriously difficult to successfully navigate.